Pac-12 Basketball: What would a conference challenge look like?

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TUCSON, AZ – NOVEMBER 18: Parker Jackson-Cartwright (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Arizona Wildcats vs Gonzaga Bulldogs

For the primer game of the challenge, a team who made it to the title game last year will face a team who’s a favorite to get to the title game this year.

Josh Perkins will return to his traditional spot at the point while Jonathan Williams, one of the best defenders will be the to go scorer this time around. Freshmen guards Zach Norvell and Jessie Wade will add some shooting off the bench to replace Jordan Mathews. We’ll also be able to see the international bigs Jacob Larsen, Killian Tillie and Rui Hachimura in their expanded roles this time around.

Arizona is up there with Duke as possibly the best team in the country this year. A devastating combo of highly regarded freshmen such as big Deondre Ayton and Emmanuel Akot with veteran studs Alonzo Trier and Rawle Alkins instantly make this team a national title contender. As long as Sean Miller has the right rotations and roles for everyone, only a few can beat them on a neutral court.

Mark Few should never be counted out, and the Zags always play well in the spotlight. Expect them to continue their streak of tournament appearances this year and don’t necessarily count them out this game. Considering the Zags success in Vegas, this could become an instant classic.

Prediction: Arizona

Next: PAC 12 basketball: Breaking down the 2017-18 star of each team in the conference

In this hypothetical series, the final score is 6-6. But it shows that, while there might not be a western-based conference as good as the Pac-12, there’s more than enough quality basketball to put the entire west coast back on the map, even if for one night.

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